Over simplification is more complicated than you think: Pakistan under threat

Recent reports of international media especially US media confirm that they look at Pakistan as a state that is collapsing. The grave situation is that Pakistani media is following this trend without considering the cultural ingredients and indigenous social, political and economical landscape of the country.

Ejaz Haider, the Consulting Editor of The Friday Times and OP-ed Editor of Daily Times, considered the hypotheses of this trend and wrote a wonderful article in the Friday Times in this context. Ejaz considered the reports currently having place in international media biased as they can not pass the test of sound analysis. 

Ejaz emphasized that a state can not be considered "Fail" if its 30% population is under poverty line, or its corruption level is high.  Hence poverty, poor governance, corruption, a broken court system, etc. are nothing new to Pakistan or, for the matter, to much of the developing world, including shining India. Author considered these reports “rely on simplistic rendering of facts presented out of context or as a montage of sorts for cumulative impact. . . Most of these reports rely on email contacts, interviews or phone conversations”.

The current problems are owed to US presence in Pakistan and roots may be linked with US role in Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.” The current problem was created by the eight years of Musharraf’s dictatorship; the army in cahoots with the Taliban; the violence is owed to India’s perfidy; because of poverty; use of force has compelled these people to retaliate, etc.”

Ejaz questioned that ‘why did no one talk about Pakistan as a failing state with all indicators of poverty, poor political and economic conditions, etc. before the insurgency?” There is just one issue “the insurgency”. “Can Pakistan deal with it ?” This is the thinking that lurking behind  this doomsday scenario for the west. Narrow it down and it would read: “Can Pakistan deal with it on our terms.”       

 Author considered that we can face the current challenges with Dialogue, rule of law, and strengthen judiciary. He further wrote: "Pakistani State and Society is far more complex and multilayered for it to come apart in the way reports  in the US press predict".